Controlled verified remediation of excavated spoil

ABSTRACT

A system and method for controlled verified remediation of excavated contaminated spoil using a sorbent in a verified process of testing and analysis of spoil before and after remediation and of adjusting amounts of sorbent and supplemental water mixed with contaminated spoil.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention provides a system and method for remediation of excavatedcontaminated spoil, using a sorbent in a verified process of testing andanalysis of spoil before and after remediation and of adjusting amountsof sorbent and supplemental water mixed with contaminated spoil.

Digging into the Earth—mining, drilling, excavating, and dredging—is amethod of obtaining materials and energy and of shaping the builtenvironment. Such digging produces spoil, or removed earth, rock, andsludge, in the form of cuttings, tailings, gangue, overburden,interburden, and waste. Such spoil might be contaminated with toxins andcarcinogens such as radioactive materials, heavy metals, hydrocarbons,and other deleterious substances harmful to terrestrial and aquaticplant and animal life either directly or indirectly. If suchcontaminated spoil is not properly remediated, then the contaminates arelikely to migrate out of the spoil and into the environment, as eitherairborne particles or aterborne suspensions or solutions.

The handling of spoil by digging and drilling operators is highlyregulated, and improper handling of spoil is subject to fines andpenalties.

Construction aggregate is coarse particulate material such as sand,gravel, crushed stone, slag, recycled concrete, and geosyntheticaggregates used in construction as a reinforcing component and alow-cost extending component of composite materials such as concrete,and as a stable, water-conductive foundation, base, or bed material forroads, drains, buildings, and other construction.

Organic wastes can be destroyed by incineration at high temperatures;however, if the waste contains heavy metals or radioactive isotopes,these must be separated and stored, as they cannot be destroyed. Themethod of storage will seek to immobilize the toxic components of thewaste.

Contaminated spoil is often generated in remote mining, drilling,excavating, and dredging sites. If remediation of such contaminatedspoil is to be performed in an off-site facility, then the heavy, bulky,contaminated spoil must be transported in its contaminated state to theoff-site facility, which is an expensive and potentially dangerousoperation. On-site remediation techniques have the advantage of notrequiring transport of contaminated spoil, but existing on-sitetechniques have the disadvantages of a much greater chance of techniquesbeing performed incorrectly in the field by on-site personnel usingon-site equipment, as opposed to personnel and equipment in an off-site,central remediation facility, and on-site techniques and operations areoften insufficiently documented to provide verifiable data for review byin-house environmental-quality managers and governmental regulators.

There exists a need for a system and method providing controlledverified remediation of excavated contaminated spoil which can be set upon-site at remote locations, which analyzes each batch of contaminatedspoil and analyzes the remediating agent, which applies the properamount of remediating agent and the proper amount of additional wateraccording to the analysis of the contaminated soil and the remediatingagent, and which analyses and verifies the resulting remediatedaggregate.

Various patents discuss the use of zeolite as a cementitious substancefor encapsulating drill cuttings and the use of zeolite in wash water asa surfactant, as a catalyst, etc.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,383 issued on Jan. 27, 1998 to Dralen T. Terry etal. for “Cementitious Well Drilling Fluids and Methods” discloses aninvention that provides cementitious well drilling fluids and methods ofdrilling subterranean well bores. The drilling fluids are basicallycomprised of water, a water viscosity increasing material and acementitious material which when deposited on the walls of the well boreas a part of the filter cake thereon consolidates the filter cake into astable mass that readily bonds to a cementitious material slurrysubsequently placed in the well bore. The methods of drilling asubterranean well bore are basically comprised of the steps of preparinga drilling fluid of the invention and drilling a subterranean well boreusing the drilling fluid. The consolidated filter cake layers have thephysical properties required to prevent pressurized fluid migration inthe annulus after the annulus is cemented. A variety of cementitiousmaterials can be utilized in the drilling fluid in accordance with thisinvention. For example, the cementitious material may be any of thevarious hydraulic cements which are commonly utilized, both normalparticle size and fine particle size. Examples of some of such cementsare blast furnace slag, Portland cement and mixtures thereof. Anothercementitious material which can be utilized is comprised of a siliciouscontaining substance combined with an activator such as hydrauliccement, lime or an alkali. Suitable silicious containing substancesinclude silicates, amorphous silica, e.g., fumed silica and colloidalsilica, rice hull ash, zeolites and volcanic glass.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,128 issued on Mar. 21, 2000 to Siro Brunato for“Method and System for Obtaining Core Samples During the Well-DrillingPhase by Making Use of a Coring Fluid” discloses a method and system forobtaining core samples using a coring fluid. During the drilling phaseof hydrocarbon wells and the like, drilled with existing drillingsystems, the bit that drills the well is driven by a string of rotatingpipes and drilling mud is introduced in the rotating pipes. The drillingmud rises carrying with it the cuttings produced by the drill bit.Alternatively, the rotating pipes can be removed and a special piece ofequipment called a core barrel is mounted thereon. The rotating pipesthus equipped for collection of the “core” are then lowered into thewell. When the rotating pipes are at the bottom of the hole, asufficient volume of a colloidal, viscous coring or embedding fluid isintroduced into the mud circuit to encapsulate a sample of the cuttings,for lifting to the surface and subsequent analysis. The fluid preventsthe cuttings from being altered by the drilling mud. In order to obtaincore samples of underground formations, drilling and mud circulation inthe bore are momentarily suspended, while a certain volume of coringmatrix. fluid, that is to say a fluid with an adhesive effect thatserves to encapsulate the cuttings, is introduced into the mud circuitat surface. Normal mud circulation is then resumed, pushing the matrixfluid to the well bottom, after which drilling is resumed, so that thematrix fluid passing through the. nozzles in the drill bit hits thecuttings in their virgin state as they are formed and incorporates thema gelatinous mass, protecting them from direct contact with the mud andthus avoiding the washing effect. The cuttings thus coated by the matrixfluid and pushed upward by the mud circulation reach the surface and arecollected and analyzed.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,702,044 issued on Mar. 9, 2004 to B. Raghava Reddy etal. for “Methods of Consolidating Formations or Forming Chemical Casingor Both While Drilling” discloses methods of consolidating formations orforming chemical casing or both while drilling. One method of theinvention comprises drilling a well bore with a drilling fluid comprisedof water, a polymeric cationic catalyst which is absorbed on weak zonesor formations formed of unconsolidated clays, shale, sand stone and thelike, a water soluble or dispersible polymer which is cross-linked by athermoset resin and causes the resin to be hard and tough when cured, aparticulate curable solid thermoset resin, a water soluble thermosetresin, and a delayed dispersible acid catalyst for curing the solid andwater soluble resins. The drilling fluid forms a filter cake on thewalls of the well bore that cures and consolidates the unconsolidatedweak zones and formations penetrated by the well bore so that sloughingis prevented and forms a hard and tough cross-linked chemical casing onthe walls of the well bore. According to the method, one or moreinsoluble chemical casing reinforcing materials are selected from thegroup consisting of carbon fibers, glass fibers, mineral fibers,cellulose fibers, silica, zeolite, alumina, calcium sulfate hemihydrate,acrylic latexes, polyol-polyesters and polyvinyl butyral.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,147,067 issued on Dec. 12, 2006 to Donald A. Getzlaf for“Zeolite-Containing Drilling Fluids” discloses methods and compositionsfor wellbore treating fluids, especially drilling fluids that comprisezeolite and a carrier fluid. In this patent, zeolite is used as asuspending agent in a drilling fluid, whereby the drilling fluid hassufficient carrying capacity and thixotropy to transport cuttingsthrough the annulus and out to the surface. The zeolite acts as asuspending agent for one or more of cuttings, a weighting agent, andloss circulation material. Portions of a zeolite-containing drillingfluid are left on the walls of a wellbore as part of a filter cake,and/or in permeable areas affecting the wellbore, such as fissures,fractures, caverns, vugs, thief zones, low pressure subterranean zonesor high pressure subterranean zones. According to such an embodiment,the zeolite in the portions of the drilling fluid left in the wellboreacts as a settable material, which can be caused to set by an activator.According to one embodiment, a subsequent composition that contains atleast one activator is pumped into the wellbore to come into contactwith the drilling fluid left therein. In one such embodiment, thesubsequent composition containing at least one activator is a treatingfluid, such as a mud, pill, or spotting fluid, and is pumped into thewellbore prior to primary cementing operations. According to anotherembodiment, the subsequent composition containing at least one activatoris a cement slurry pumped into the wellbore during cementing operations.When the activator in the subsequent composition contacts the drillingfluid in the filter cake and/or permeable areas, the activator causesthe zeolite in the drilling fluid to set. In addition, when thesubsequent composition is a cement slurry, as the cement slurry sets,the activator therein diffuses into the drilling fluid left in thefilter cake and/or permeable areas in the wellbore. The activator ispresent in the subsequent composition in a compressive strengthdeveloping amount, and may be one or more of calcium hydroxide, calciumoxide, calcium nitrate, sodium silicate, sodium fluoride, sodiumsilicofluoride, magnesium silicofluoride, zinc silicofluoride, sodiumcarbonate, potassium carbonate, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide,sodium sulfate, or mixtures thereof. Selection of the type and amount ofan activator(s) largely depends on the type and make-up of thecomposition in which the activator is contained, and it is within themeans of those of ordinary skill in the art to select a suitable typeand amount of activator.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,227,381 issued on Jul. 24, 2012 to Klin A. Rodrigues for“Low Molecular Weight Graft Copolymers for Scale Control” discloses alow molecular weight graft copolymer comprising a synthetic componentformed from at least one or more olefinically unsaturated carboxylicacid monomers or salts thereof, and a natural component formed from ahydroxyl-containing natural moiety. The number average molecular weightof the graft copolymer is about 100,000 or less, and the weight percentof the natural component in the graft copolymer is about 50 wt % orgreater based on total weight of the graft copolymer. Processes forpreparing such graft copolymers are also disclosed. A variety of adjunctingredients can be used in the cleaning formulations described in thispatent. Useful adjunct ingredients include, but are not limited to,aesthetic agents, anti-filming agents, antiredeposition agents,anti-spotting agents, beads, binders, bleach activators, bleachcatalysts, bleach stabilizing systems, bleaching agents, brighteners,buffering agents, builders, carriers, chelants, clay, color speckles,control release agents, corrosion inhibitors, dishcare agents,disinfectant, dispersant agents, draining promoting agents, dryingagents, dyes, dye transfer inhibiting agents, enzymes, enzymestabilizing systems, fillers, free radical inhibitors, fungicides,germicides, hydrotropes, opacifiers, perfumes, pH adjusting agents,pigments, processing aids, silicates, soil release agents, sudssuppressors, surfactants, stabilizers, thickeners, zeolite, and mixturesthereof.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,356,678 issued on Jan. 22, 2013 to Ramon Perez-Cordovafor “Oil Recovery Method and Apparatus” discloses a method and apparatusfor recovering oil from oil-containing sorbents, such as drill cuttingsobtained from drilling with an oil-based mud. The method includespeptizing the substrate with an acid reagent and direct thermaldesorption with combustion effluent gases at high temperature underturbulent mixing conditions. Another method disclosed includes upgradingthe oil in the substrate to improve one or more of the properties of therecovered oil relative to the oil in the substrate, such as loweraromatics content, lower sulfur content, lower functional group content,higher saturates, higher viscosity, higher viscosity index, and anycombination thereof. The apparatus provides for efficient recovery ofoil from the substrate with a short residence time, high through-put,low residual oil content in the treated solids and/or high percentage ofoil recovery. The apparatus may be transported to a remote location foron-site treatment of drill cuttings or other oil-containing solids. Inone embodiment, the oil-based drilling cutting or other substrate mayact as a catalyst or as a support for catalysts, e.g., the peptizationwith acid may expose or form catalytically active surfaces in thesorbent material. In a further embodiment, the oil-based drillingcuttings or other substrate may be amended by the addition of a catalystsuch as one or more of zeolites, aluminates, silicates, aluminumsilicates, noble metals, etc., added in the peptization step or in thethermal desorber.

U.S. application Publication Number 2014/0349894 published on Nov. 27,2014 to Lirio Quintero et al. for “Nanofluids and Methods of Use forDrilling and Completion Fluids” discloses nanomaterial compositions thatare useful for applications in drilling and completion fluids asenhancers of electrical and thermal conductivity, emulsion stabilizers,well bore strength improvers, drag reduction agents, wettabilitychangers, corrosion coating compositions and the like. Thesenanomaterials may be dispersed in the liquid phase in low volumetricfraction, particularly as compared to corresponding agents of largersize. Nanofluids (fluids containing nano-sized particles) may be used todrill at least part of the wellbore. Nano fluids for drilling andcompletion applications may be designed including nanoparticles such ascarbon nanotubes. These fluids containing nanomaterials, such as carbonnanotubes, meet the required rheological and filtration properties forapplication in challenging HPHT drilling and completions operations.Nanoparticles expected to be useful components of completion fluidsinclude nanosilica, nano-alumina, nano-zinc oxide, nano-boron, nano-ironoxide, zeolites carbonates, piezoelectric crystals, pyroelectriccrystals and combinations thereof. Other new potential nanoparticlesuseful as lost circulation additives include, but are not necessarilylimited to, nanoparticles physically or chemically bonded to porous ornon-porous rnicroparticles (particle size greater than 100 nm), whichmay impart some properties of the nanoparticles onto the microparticles.Functional groups on nano-sized particles expected to be useful toprevent lost circulation includenano-silica, nano-alumina, nano-zincoxide, nano-boron, nano-iron oxide, zeolites carbonates, piezoelectriccrystals, pyroelectric crystals and combinations thereof.

U.S. application Publication Number 2014/0371113 published on Dec. 18,2014 to Gary Fout et al. for “Drilling Fluid Processing” discloses amethod of processing a return oil based drilling fluid which includescentrifuging a primarily fluids phase at a first speed and separatingthe primarily fluids phase into a first effluent and a first residual,centrifuging the first effluent at a second speed and separating thefirst effluent into a second effluent and a second residual, andcentrifuging the second effluent at a third speed and separating thesecond effluent into a third effluent and a third residual. Asurfactant, a polymer, combinations of surfactant(s) and polymer(s)and/or a wash water may be added to one or more of the return oil-baseddrilling fluid, the primarily fluids phase, the primarily solids phase,the first effluent, the second effluent, and the third effluent. Themethod of processing a return oil-based drilling fluid includes thesteps of dividing the return oil-based drilling fluid into a primarilyfluids phase and a primarily solids phase; centrifuging the primarilyfluids phase at a first speed and separating the primarily fluids phaseinto a first effluent and a first residual; centrifuging the firsteffluent at a second speed, the second speed higher than the firstspeed, and separating the first effluent into a second effluent and asecond residual; and centrifuging the second effluent at a third speed,the third speed higher than the second speed, and separating the secondeffluent into a third effluent and a third residual. In another aspect,embodiments disclosed in the application relate to a method ofprocessing a return oil-based drilling fluid including adding a volumeof a base oil fluid to the return oil-based drilling fluid, wherein theratio of the volume of base oil fluid added to a volume of the returnoil-based drilling fluid is between about 0.1 and 0.4; mixing the baseoil fluid with the return oil-based drilling fluid to form a dilutedreturn oil-based drilling fluid; adding a surfactant to the dilutedreturn oil-based drilling fluid; and adding a polymer to the dilutedreturn oil-based drilling fluid. In another aspect, embodimentsdisclosed in this application relate to method of processing a returnoil-based drilling fluid including adding a base oil fluid to aprimarily solids phase of the return oil-based drilling fluid, wherein aratio of a volume of the base oil fluid added to a volume of theprimarily solids phase is between 0.1 and 0.2; separating the primarilysolids phase into diluted separated fluids and separated solids; addinga wash water to the separated solids; and removing treated solids fromthe wash water. Chemical additives that may be used in the wash waterinclude surfactants; sodium silicate, zeolites, and other additivesuseful in the treatment of drilling waste. In some embodiments, the washwater may include biosurfactants which may include oil-digestingmicrobes. Such microbes digest organic contaminates on surfaces and insoils and convert hydrocarbons, oils, and greases into non-toxiccompounds.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention provides a system and method for remediation of excavatedcontaminated spoil, using a sorbent in a verified process of testing andanalysis of spoil before and after remediation and of adjusting amountsof sorbent and supplemental water mixed with contaminated spoil.

The system and method of the present invention solves several existingproblems of performing and verifying remediation, especially on-site inremote mining, drilling, and excavating locations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Reference will now be made to the drawings, wherein like parts aredesignated by like numerals, and wherein

FIG. 1 is a schematic of the steps of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic of the steps of the invention having addition ofsupplemental heat.

FIG. 3 is a schematic of the invention in use.

FIG. 4 is a schematic of an automated embodiment of the invention inuse.

FIG. 5 is a schematic of an automated embodiment of the invention havinga remote control in use.

FIG. 6 is a schematic of a large-scale, partly manual embodiment of theinvention in use.

FIG. 7 is a schematic of an embodiment of the invention adapted formobility in use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, the invention provides a system and method 10 forcontrolled verified remediation of contaminated spoil 11, yieldingremediated aggregate 12. The remediating agent used is a sorbent capableof adsorbing contaminants, such as a zeolite or silica gel or othersorbents known in the art.

Sorbents are effective remediating agents because they act as molecularsieves with crystalline structures trapping, neutralizing, orencapsulating contaminates. Sorbents having a molecular sieve size of 4Angstroms, such as zeolites and silica gel, are often used because oftheir high selectivity for molecules with critical diameters less than 4Å such as NH3, H2S, SO2, CO2, C2H5OH, C2H6, and C2H4, for cationicspecies such as NH4+, Pb2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, and Cd2+, and for heavy metalions.

Most such sorbents neutralize or encapsulate contaminants in anexothermic or heat-producing reaction. The heat produced tends to drivesuch reactions faster and further, sometimes to a point of thermalrunaway. Therefore the machinery used to implement this invention shouldbe capable of accommodating very high heat. This produced heat alsoperforms a thermolysis or pyrolysis on the spoil-sorbent mixture,further breaking down or denaturing contaminants. The produced heatoften creates a hard ceramic encapsulation or network of encapsulations,which is desirable where radioactivity is present or where some level ofcontaminates remains in the remediated aggregate, because encapsulationprevents waterborne or airborne leaching or release of contaminates.

The invention provides a remediation pathway conveying contaminatedspoil 11 from an intake point to an output point where it emerges asremediated aggregate 12. The pathway can move the contaminated spoilalong a physical path of conveyance, with consecutive steps performed indifferent adjacent locations, or the pathway can leave the contaminatedspoil in one place, with consecutive steps performed in a singlelocation. Many of the steps can be performed either entirelyautomatically or with manual participation directed by determinationsbased on analysis of characteristics and conditions according to themethod of the invention. Different embodiments of the invention aredisclosed here. FIG. 4 shows an automated, contained auger-conveyersystem. FIG. 6 shows a large-scale single-location system with manualparticipation and the use of heavy equipment. FIG. 7 shows atractor-mounted system designed to be pulled through contaminated spoil.

Returning to FIG. 1, the remediation operation is controlled and isverified by a controller 1 which receives data from, and controls theoperations of the components of the system, and derives, records, andreports verification data for the outgoing remediated aggregate.

The controller 1 receives data from sensor groups analyzing thecharacteristics and conditions of 1) the sorbent before use, 2) theincoming contaminated spoil, and 3) the outgoing remediated aggregate.The sensors contained in such sensor groups are known and available, andinclude contact sensors, ultrasound sensors, infrared sensors,piezoelectric sensors, ionizing sensors, sniffing sensors, and sensorsreading a variety of wavelengths and frequencies.

The sorbent analyzer 2 comprises sensors to analyze the sorbent beforethe sorbent is used for remediation. Among the characteristics andconditions sensed are the moisture level and the temperature of thesorbent, as well as sorbent-specific characteristics which provideindications of the remediating potency of any specific batch or supplyof sorbent.

The pre-analyzer 3 comprises sensors to analyze the contaminated spoilentering the remediation pathway. Among the characteristics andconditions sensed are the moisture level and the temperature of thespoil, as well as characteristics such as the level of heavy metals,hydrocarbons, radioactivity, and other contaminants present or absent inthe incoming spoil.

The post-analyzer 6 comprises sensors to analyze the remediatedaggregate just prior to exiting the remediation pathway. Among thecharacteristics and conditions sensed are the moisture level and thetemperature of the aggregate, as well as confirmation of the absence ofheavy metals, hydrocarbons, or other such contaminates, and, especiallyif radioactivity is present, confirmation of the desired formation ofhard ceramic encapsulations.

The water adder 4 adds water when needed to the incoming contaminatedspoil under the control of the controller 1. For most sorbents, and whenmost sorbents are working on a solid or semi-solid substrate, thepresence of water is needed as a solvent to transport contaminates intothe molecular sieve structure of the sorbent. Too little moisturecontent is likely to lessen the effectiveness of the sorbent upon thecontaminated spoil because of insufficient water to carry thecontaminates into the sorbent. On the other hand, too much moisture,especially if the water is already in the supply of sorbent before it isused, is likely to lessen the effectiveness of the sorbent upon thecontaminated spoil because a significant portion of each sorbentparticle will be occupied by pure water, and will not accept any morewater bearing contaminates. Through the controller 1, using dataprovided by the sorbent analyzer 2 and the pre-analyzer 3, adetermination is made whether added water is needed and the amount, ifany, to be added in order to provide an optimum moisture level forreaction with the sorbent.

The water can be added as a stream, a spray, or a mist. The water canoptionally be heated, although added heat is only likely to have anysignificant effect in very cold environments or for sorbents generatinga low heat of reaction. The water can optionally be in the form ofsteam, where steam may be beneficial in penetrating particularlyresistant or solid-frozen spoil.

The sorbent adder 5 adds sorbent to the contaminated spoil in theremediation pathway for the purpose of mixing with and reacting with thecontaminated spoil at an optimal moisture level. Through the controller1, using data provided by the sorbent analyzer 2 and the pre-analyzer 3,the optimum amount of the specific supply of sorbent at its specificmoisture level, temperature, and other relevant characteristics andconditions, is determined in relation to the relevant characteristicsand conditions of the contaminated spoil, and the optimal amount ofsorbent is added to the remediation pathway.

After reaction of the sorbent with the contaminated spoil, the resultingremediated aggregate is analyzed by the post-analyzer 6, in order toverify that the remediation was effective and that the resultingremediated aggregate 12 is safe to be used as intended.

Relevant data about each batch or run of the system is recorded by thecontroller 1, and is available as a set of remediation verification data7 useful for supervisory and regulatory control and reporting.

Referring to FIG. 2, the invention can optionally have a heat adder 8 inorder to ensure that thermolysis and pyrolysis reactions are run tocompletion and that hard ceramic encapsulations are fully formed. Thisadded heat would be of benefit in extremely cold conditions, extremelydry conditions where remediation is performed at less than optimummoisture levels, and where either the supplied sorbent, the contaminatedspoil, or the combination of both generate insufficient heat from thereaction itself.

Referring to FIG. 3, the system and method of the invention arerepresented as an automated system moving along the remediation pathwayby means of an auger, which is a means of both conveying and mixing thematerials.

In use, the system and method for controlled verified remediation ofcontaminated spoil 10 takes in contaminated spoil 11 at the intake pointof the remediation pathway. The spoil is tested and analyzed by thesensor group of the pre-analyzer 3 to determine what contaminates arepresent, what degree or intensity of remediation is needed, and whetherradioactivity is present, because radioactive particles are notneutralized, but instead are encapsulated to prevent their entry intothe environment's air or water supply. At approximately the same time,the supplied sorbent is tested and analyzed before use by the sensorgroup of the sorbent analyzer 2 to determine the potential and potencyof the sorbent in terms of such factors as moisture level, temperature,particle size, and other relevant chemical and physical properties.

Data from the sorbent analyzer 2 and the pre-analyzer 3 is sent to thecontroller 1, and is operated upon with simultaneous reference to bothsets of data in order to forecast and determine, among other things,what the combined moisture level of the spoil-sorbent mixture would bein the absence of the addition of more water, whether the remediationreaction would benefit from the addition of more water, and the amountof additional water required to reach an optimum moisture level, andwhat amount of sorbent should be applied to the contaminated spoil atthe optimum moisture level in light of the interactions among thecharacteristics and conditions of the supplied sorbent and of thecontaminated spoil.

Where the controller 1 determines that an amount of water should beadded to the contaminated spoil in the remediation pathway in order toachieve an optimum moisture level the controller instructs the wateradder 4 to add such an amount of water, which is drawn from a watersupply.

The controller 1 then instructs the sorbent adder 5 to add to thecontaminated spoil in the remediation pathway the amount of sorbentdetermined to be proper in light of the analyzed characteristics andconditions.

The resulting spoil-sorbent mixture will undergo the desired adsorption,thermolyis or pyrolysis, and encapsulating reactions or processes, in anexothermic or heat-producing process that will most likely drive theremediation to completion. Optionally, additional heat can be suppliedeither by heating the added water or by a heat adder 8 as disclosedabove.

After the contaminated spoil has been transformed into remediatedaggregate by the remediating reactions and processes, the remediatedaggregate is tested and analyzed by the sensor group of the pre-analyzer3 to verify the absence of heavy metals, hydrocarbons, or other suchcontaminates, and, especially if radioactivity is present, verify theformation of hard ceramic encapsulations.

The remediated aggregate 12 is then discharged at the output point ofthe remediation pathway. In large-scale, high-throughput operations amarker or tag identifying specific batches or runs can be generated andattached to the remediated aggregate. At approximately the same time,the controller 1 generates a set of remediation verification dataderived by and recorded by the controller, specific to and identifyingthe just-completed batch or run. The remediation verification dataprovides information about the spoil both before and after theremediation process, about the type and amount of sorbent used, andabout the moisture levels, temperatures, and times of the remediationreactions and processes.

Referring to FIG. 4, an embodiment of the invention comprises anautomated, contained, auger-driven system capable of essentiallycontinuous automated remediation.

Referring to FIG. 5, an optional addition to an automated embodiment ofthe invention is a remote controller 9 through which an operator canmonitor and control the system.

Referring to FIG. 6, another embodiment of the invention comprisesmanually performed or partially manually performed steps on a very largebatch of contaminated spoil 11 which stays in a single location, withthe analyzers 2, 3, 6 and adders 4, 5 being sequentially applied in amediation pathway, all under the direction of the controller 1.

Referring to FIG. 7, another embodiment of the invention comprises amobile remediation system capable of being pulled by a tractor anddesigned to operate as a sled, being pulled through contaminated spoil11 and applying the analyzers 2, 3, 6 and adders 4, 5 sequentially in aremediation pathway, all under the direction of the controller 1.

Many changes and modifications can be made in the present inventionwithout departing from the spirit thereof. We therefore pray that ourrights to the present invention be limited only by the scope of theappended claims.

We claim:
 1. A system for controlled verified remediation ofcontaminated spoil, comprising: a supply of sorbent capable of adsorbingcontaminants; a supply of water; a remediation pathway conveying spoilfrom an intake point to an output point; a sorbent analyzer adapted toanalyze characteristics and conditions of said supply of sorbent beforeuse and to determine remediating potency of any specific supply ofsorbent before adding the sorbent to the contaminated spoil; apre-analyzer at said intake point adapted to analyze characteristics andconditions of contaminated spoil entering said remediation pathway; awater adder in said remediation pathway after said pre-analyzer, adaptedto add water when necessary to increase moisture content of thecontaminated spoil; a sorbent adder in said remediation pathway aftersaid water adder, adapted to add a proper determined quantity of sorbentto said contaminated spoil; a post-analyzer at said output point adaptedto analyze characteristics and conditions of remediated aggregateexiting said remediation pathway; a controller receiving data from andcontrolling operation of said sorbent analyzer, pre-analyzer, wateradder, sorbent adder, and post-analyzer; and a set of remediationverification data derived and recorded by said controller; where saidcontroller determines whether and how much water should be added by saidwater adder, and how much sorbent should be added by said sorbent adder,in accord with characteristics and conditions of said supply of sorbentand the contaminated spoil as analyzed by said sorbent analyzer and saidpre-analyzer; where said controller verifies remediation of thecontaminated spoil into aggregate in accord with characteristics andconditions of the remediated aggregate as analyzed by saidpost-analyzer; and where said controller derives, records, and reportssaid remediation verification data.
 2. The system for controlledverified remediation of contaminated spoil of claim 1, furthercomprising a heat adder in said remediation pathway after said sorbentadder, adapted to apply heat to said supply of sorbent mixed withcontaminated spoil.
 3. The system for controlled verified remediation ofcontaminated spoil of claim 1, further comprising a remote controller indata communication with said controller, adapted to give personneladditional control and monitoring of said system.
 4. The system forcontrolled verified remediation of contaminated spoil of claim 1, wheresaid supply of sorbent is an adsorbent.
 5. The system for controlledverified remediation of contaminated spoil of claim 1, where said supplyof sorbent is a sorbent which combines with contaminants in aheat-producing reaction.
 6. The system for controlled verifiedremediation of contaminated spoil of claim 1, where said supply ofsorbent is a sorbent which reacts with contaminants in the presence ofwater.
 7. The system for controlled verified remediation of contaminatedspoil of claim 1, where said supply of sorbent is zeolite.
 8. The systemfor controlled verified remediation of contaminated spoil of claim 1,where said supply of sorbent is silica gel.
 9. A method for controlledverified remediation of contaminated spoil, comprising: providing asystem for controlled verified remediation of contaminated spoil,comprising: a supply of sorbent capable of adsorbing contaminants; asupply of water; a remediation pathway conveying spoil from an intakepoint to an output point; a sorbent analyzer adapted to analyzecharacteristics and conditions of said supply of sorbent before use andto determine remediating potency of any specific supply of sorbentbefore adding the sorbent to the contaminated spoil; a pre-analyzer atsaid intake point adapted to analyze characteristics and conditions ofcontaminated spoil entering said remediation pathway; a water adder insaid remediation pathway after said pre-analyzer, adapted to add waterwhen necessary to increase moisture content of the contaminated spoil; asorbent adder in said remediation pathway after said water adder,adapted to add a proper determined quantity of sorbent to saidcontaminated spoil; a post-analyzer at said output point adapted toanalyze characteristics and conditions of remediated aggregate exitingsaid remediation pathway; a controller receiving data from andcontrolling operation of said sorbent analyzer, pre-analyzer, wateradder, sorbent adder, and post-analyzer; and a set of remediationverification data derived and recorded by said controller; where saidcontroller determines whether and how much water should be added by saidwater adder, and how much sorbent should be added by said sorbent adder,in accord with characteristics and conditions of said supply of sorbentand the contaminated spoil as analyzed by said sorbent analyzer and saidpre-analyzer; where said controller verifies remediation of thecontaminated spoil into aggregate in accord with characteristics andconditions of the remediated aggregate as analyzed by saidpost-analyzer; and where said controller derives, records, and reportssaid remediation verification data; operating said system for controlledverified remediation of contaminated spoil by feeding the contaminatedspoil into said input end of said remediation pathway, removing theremediated aggregate from said output point of said remediation pathway,and generating a report of said remediation verification data.
 10. Themethod for controlled verified remediation of contaminated spoil ofclaim 9, further comprising a heat adder in said remediation pathwayafter said sorbent adder, adapted to apply heat to said supply ofsorbent mixed with contaminated spoil.
 11. The method for controlledverified remediation of contaminated spoil of claim 9, furthercomprising a remote controller in data communication with saidcontroller, adapted to give personnel additional control and monitoringof said system.
 12. The method for controlled verified remediation ofcontaminated spoil of claim 9, where said supply of sorbent is anadsorbent.
 13. The method for controlled verified remediation ofcontaminated spoil of claim 9, where said supply of sorbent is a sorbentwhich combines with contaminants in a heat-producing reaction.
 14. Themethod for controlled verified remediation of contaminated spoil ofclaim 9, where said supply of sorbent is a sorbent which reacts withcontaminants in the presence of water.
 15. The method for controlledverified remediation of contaminated spoil of claim 9, where said supplyof sorbent is zeolite.
 16. The method for controlled verifiedremediation of contaminated spoil of claim 9, where said supply ofsorbent is silica gel.